Move to put wine in Tennessee grocery stores unwise
- Mar 6, 2009
Tennessee lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow grocery and convenience stores to sell wine.
Wine, by the way, has twice the alcohol content of beer and gets people intoxicated twice as fast, according to the National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
Tennessee currently allows wine to be sold only in liquor stores, according to an article in the Feb. 11 issue of The Tennessean.
What is sad about this whole matter is who is pushing legislators to pass the bill. You would guess that it is the liquor industry who wants the bill passed, but it is not. In fact, they are working hard to oppose the legislation.
I find it ironic (even funny) that Baptists would be on the same side as the liquor industry, but it is true in this case, even though for totally different reasons.
According to the Tennessee Wine and Spirits Retailers, the organization is very much opposed to the legislation.
They are worried it could hurt their business, but they also say they don’t want anymore problems.
A fact sheet, provided the retailers, notes that alcohol retail stores can sell only one product — alcohol. They do not sell candy, soft drinks, milk, gas, etc. As a result, those who operate those stores know that when someone enters the building it is for the sole purpose of purchasing alcohol. They have been trained to “self-police” and turn away anyone who is too young or appears intoxicated.
The grocery industry is one of the leading proponents of the bill which is currently in the committee process in the Tennessee legislature. I always thought of grocery stores as being more “family friendly,” but that’s apparently not the case when it comes to this issue.
Others are starting to oppose the bill as it has come to light.
Bobbie Patray, a member of Two Rivers Baptist Church, Nashville, who heads Tennessee Eagle Forum, said her organization is against the bill.
“I am always opposed to any expanded availability of alcohol,” she told me last week.
Baptists need to oppose the bill as well. No one is trying to legislate morality as Baptists often have been accused of doing. Wine is available to those who want it.
If passed, the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission estimates that between 1,000-6,000 stores could seek new permits to sell wine.
If that number reaches 6,000, it would be 10 times the number of stores that sell wine today.
Let’s face it. Increasing the number of outlets will make it easier for people who shouldn’t have the wine, including teenagers and alcoholics, to gain easier access.
Research has shown that increasing the number of outlets selling alcohol leads to more addiction, violent crime, underage drinking and car crashes. That’s not only research proven, it’s just plain common sense.
I am surprised and disappointed that some of our legislators are being swayed by the grocery industry into passing a bill that could potentially harm thousands of Tennesseans.
Keep in mind too that stores such as Walmart, Target, Costco and other larger retailers now sell groceries, so they would be able to sell wine as well if they choose to do so.
In 2007, Tennessee was ranked the state with the second lowest number of binge drinkers and heavy drinkers by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adding more outlets to purchase high-content alcohol would lead to more abuse in the long run.
According to the fact sheet, the argument that “every state is doing it” — is not accurate. The fact is no state has put wine in grocery stores for 23 years and four states — Colorado, Kentucky, Minnesota and Massachusetts — have voted it down.
Again, opposing this bill is not forcing our beliefs on anyone because the alcohol can already be purchased. We are just opposed to making it easier and more convenient to buy.
Contact your legislators and ask them to oppose changing the Tennessee liquor law.
The bill is under consideration in the Senate’s State and Local Committee: Contact these senators and voice opposition. The phone numbers are all at their Nashville office — (615) area code:
Bill Ketron, Murfreesboro, 741-6853; Lowe Finney, Jackson, 741-1810; Joe Haynes, Nashville, 741-6679; Tim Burchett, Knoxville, 741-1766;
Mike Faulk, Kingsport, 741-2061; Thelma Harper, Nashville, 741-2453; Mark Norris, Collierville, 741-1967; Jim Tracy, Shelbyville, 741-1066; and Ken Yager, Harriman, 741-1449.
You can also contact the three house sponsors — Jon Lundberg, Bristol, 741-7623; John C. Tidwell, New Johnsonville, 741-7098 and David Shepard, Dickson,741-3513
You can find your own legislator at www.capitol.tn.gov/legislators and let him or her know you are opposed to changing the current law.
Tennessee probably will never be alcohol free, but we can help limit its availability.
This article is reprinted from the February 18, 2009, issue of the Baptist & Relfector, the newsjournal of the Tennessee Baptist Convention.
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